


Lady du Coeur

by caterinawrites



Series: Lady du Coeur [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bee Miraculous, Chloè redemption, Enemies to Friends, Eventual reveal fic, F/F, F/M, Family Issues, Fluff, Fox Miraculous, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Guardian!Marinette, Jealousy, Lila Redemption, Love, Lukanette, Not Canon Compliant, Pining, alternate season 2, ladrien, peacock!Emilie, rewritten fic, slow-burn, will update tags as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 06:12:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16258325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caterinawrites/pseuds/caterinawrites
Summary: Instructed by the old master, Marinette seeks to befriend golden boy, Adrien Agreste, to protect him from evil. As a result, Adrien finds himself drawn to the shy girl from his class to counteract the misfortune that seems to follow him.





	Lady du Coeur

**Author's Note:**

> The time has finally come for this fic to be reborn! Lots of things about the old version just weren't sitting well with me anymore, and I was getting frustrated and fed up with some things then season 2 came out and introduced some new things that I wanted to go back and play with, so I decided to just rewrite this fic. This first chapter is a combination of the original first two and is roughly the same, only a few tweaks, but from here on out it will be completely different at times. Some things will still be in from the old version, but for the most part I wanted to change some things to incorporate new information. I'm not going 100% with canon on this cause I did my own thing originally and kind of wanted to stick to some of my original ideas, so this is a canon divergent story. Not entirely an AU, but definitely not canon.  
> I hope that a lot of you who read the original will enjoy this version, and if you are new to this fic I hope you will enjoy it as well! I am still debating what to do with the old version, and I think that I am going to take it down. I know some people really liked it, but I would much prefer people to read this version instead, and I will not be continuing that version at all, so it really serves no purpose anymore. It will be up for the rest of the week if anyone wants to look over it one last time for sentimental reasons or whatever, but after that I will be officially removing it.  
> I have a lot of plans for this fic, some new ships, some that I don't particularly like but want to play with and see if I can make them less annoying (to me). If any of you follow my tumblr @purrincess-chat you will probably know which ship I mean if you look at the tags... Anyway, that is all I'm going to say on this for now. I hope you enjoy this first chapter, and I am hoping to update each Wednesday for a little while until I get several chapters out then I will likely switch to every other Wednesday for updates assuming life doesn't have other ideas for me. I mean many of my readers know what I am by this point. 'I'll update soon' means either tomorrow or in 6 months. There is no in between.

Chapter One: New Beginnings

Marinette could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she watched Master Fu with cautious eyes. How long had the old man known her secret? _How_ did he know her secret? Her mind was racing with questions as Master Fu turned the book over in his hands, a thoughtful expression on his face. After a moment, he looked up at her and smiled warmly as if they were old friends. She braced herself for whatever slew of questions he could have for her, but to her surprise they didn't come.

"Would you like some tea?" He asked calmly, and Marinette shifted uncomfortably.

Of all the questions he could have asked like 'Where did you get this?' or 'How long have you had it?' and he wanted to know if she'd like some tea. He must have sensed her unease because he turned to the small green kwami floating beside him and said, "Bring out some chamomile, Wayzz. It might help calm our guest's nerves." The turtle flitted off into the backroom, and Master Fu motioned for Marinette to sit.

She exchanged a look with Tikki who nodded encouragingly then sat cross-legged on the mat. Master Fu moved a small tea table in front of her and set out four tea cups, two regular-sized and two kwami-sized. The old man seemed so calm, but Marinette found it hard to relax. After all, she had only met him once before. Had he known who she was then? How could he be so unconcerned knowing who she was? Most people would freak out.

"Don't you want to ask me about the book?" Marinette found herself blurting. She clamped her mouth shut, cheeks flushing with embarrassment, but to her surprised, Master Fu chuckled.

"We have many things to discuss, Marinette, but first, let us enjoy our tea," As if on cue, Wayzz appeared toting a small tea pot, and Master Fu took it and poured tea into each of the cups.

His calm demeanor only made Marinette's nerves worse. He was impossible to read, his eyes gave away no clear emotion. It was as if he wore a mask to cover up how he was truly feeling, something Marinette wasn't used to dealing with. Her friends were usually pretty transparent, she could always tell when they were upset, but Master Fu was older, wiser, and capable of controlling his emotions, a skill acquired over many years of experience.

The four sipped their tea for several minutes, the lack of conversation eating away at Marinette's patience. Something in her gut told her to trust Fu, but every thought in her brain told her to be cautious. Maybe she was being paranoid, but she knew nothing about this old man and had only come because of her faith in Tikki's judgment. She glanced down at her kwami who seemed right at home next to Wayzz, telling herself that she could trust Master Fu if Tikki could. After all, he had healed her when she was sick before, but Marinette couldn't help feeling exposed. The old man's eyes seemed to see straight through her as if he knew every one of her secrets. He knew her identity, and she worried for once that maybe others would figure it out too.

Living a double-life grew tiring after a while, but Marinette had always worked diligently to ensure that no one found out who she really was, including her best friend and number-one fan. And yet, here sat a man who knew her identity after only meeting her once. Had she been lucky all along that her classmates were seemingly unaware of her alter-ego? What, she wondered, gave her secret away to this stranger? What detail was she overlooking?

"Um," She started clasping her hands together in her lap. "How did you know it was me?" She felt herself shrink under his gaze, wise old eyes looking into her soul, but Master Fu smiled that same warm, familiar smile as if he'd been waiting to see her for some time.

"I know many things," He said simply before taking a long sip of his tea. "I know you have often wondered how that magic box appeared in your room on that fateful day.”

“Well, I have wondered why it was me who got a Miraculous. I mean, there are tons of people in Paris who could have been Ladybug, like my friend Alya, but it’s me,” She said, tapping her fingers together and shrugging.

"That may be true; however, many people lack your compassion, your wit, and your selflessness. You have certainly never let your lack of knowing prevent you from doing what is right, and that, Marinette, is why I left Tikki and the Ladybug Miraculous in your hands," He took another calm sip of his tea.

"You picked me to be Ladybug?" She gasped, eyes wide with disbelief.

All this time she never knew how those mysterious earrings had ended up in her room. It had been Master Fu all along? Though her mind was racing with thousands of questions, she felt more at ease knowing Master Fu hadn't simply guessed who she was but had known from the beginning. It made her feel safer, and it explained why the old man gave her such warm smiles. Proud smiles, she realized. Master Fu looked at her with the doting warmth of a parent watching their child grow and learn, and in that instance, Marinette's nerves seemed to melt away.

"I set out one day in search of fateful encounters. I needed compassionate hearts to wield the black cat and ladybug Miraculouses because they possess great power, and in the wrong hands, they pose an unstoppable threat." His voice grew more solemn, but after a moment he smiled. "Fate chose you and Chat Noir to fight evil, and you two have shown great courage in your efforts thus far."

At that Marinette smiled a little. The reassurance was comforting. She'd always felt like she and Chat Noir had been thrust into their positions so abruptly, hardly given anytime to wonder if they were right for it or not. They pressed on out of a sense of duty, a responsibility that only they possessed, but now she understood why they were chosen, the once jumbled gears in her brain now fitting together perfectly.

"Thank you," She smiled, hoping to convey the same warmth Master Fu had shown her, the same gratitude.

"It is I who should thank you for rising to the occasion. It takes great courage to fight the forces of evil," He bowed slightly in a show of respect. "Now, we must discuss the reason for your visit." Master Fu picked up the book and set it on the table. Marinette watched as he flipped through it, stroking his beard thoughtfully with his thumb and index finger.

She'd looked through it herself, but none of it made sense to her other than the pictures. Tikki said Master Fu knew how to decode it which made her wonder about the old man. He seemed so kind, and he looked at her with such familiarity it made Marinette wonder how many other Ladybug's he'd encountered in his life. What things had he seen?

She trained her eyes on his bracelet, his Miraculous. How long had he and Wayzz been together? She wondered. How long would she have with Tikki? Marinette couldn't picture her life without her kwami anymore. Ladybug had become a part of her, and Tikki had become a dear friend. Would the two remain together until she aged like Fu and Wayzz? She glanced once more at the small green kwami still sipping at his tea. As Master Fu continued to thumb through the book, Marinette's mind raced with questions until finally his voice broke her train of thought.

"I lost this book many years ago," He commented. "Where did you find it?" His eyes moved up to look at her. He'd stopped on the fox hero's page that had inspired Lila to become Volpina.

"I…" She bit her lip wondering how much to reveal. She felt a surge of importance from Master Fu and knew better than to lie to him. "There's this…boy in my class, and he…kind of had it in the library; then this new girl took it from him, and later in the park she dumped it into the trash where Tikki and I pulled it out. Tikki said it was important and told me to bring it here." She finished leaving out the minor detail where she caused the girl to be akumatized out of jealousy. Vaguely, she felt aware that Master Fu probably knew more about her than he let on.

"This boy…what is his name?" He eyed her knowingly.

"His name is Adrien. Adrien Agreste," She blushed slightly thinking about him. Master Fu frowned and resumed stroking his beard as if he were recalling an old memory, but after a moment he smiled again, nodding his head as if he'd come to a conclusion.

"This book contains a history of all Miraculous jewels and their powers. I am afraid you won't be able to return it to your friend," He stated, and Marinette shook her head.

"I kind of knew that," She sighed. It wasn't like Adrien knew she'd taken it, but she knew he would look for it. That he would wonder what happened to it.

"I am sorry, but in the wrong hands this book is very dangerous. It contains many secrets, spells, and prophecies that shouldn't be discovered. You were wise to heed your kwami's advice and bring it here," His tone was apologetic but firm. Marinette had hoped to use it to start up a conversation with Adrien, but she knew she would never be able to mention it to him. She looked down at the book, the cover worn from many years of use.

"So, are there really more Miraculouses besides ours?" She asked glancing at Wayzz. Master Fu smiled, amused by her curiosity.

"There are many Miraculouses, yes; however, not all of them have awoken. Some are lost, but I have kept watch over them for many years," He stood and approached the phonograph at the back of the room. Marinette watched as he pressed a series of buttons, eyes widening as the record player opened to reveal an intricately designed box. She didn't recognize any of the Chinese characters, much to her chagrin.

"I am a member of the Order of the Guardians, well, that is to say, I am the _last_ member, and as such it is my duty to protect the Miraculous and their secrets from falling into the wrong hands," He motioned for her to come closer, so she stood and approached sheepishly.

Inside the box was a series of carefully crafted platforms that all fit together to form the shape of a flower. In the middle was a raised tier with the yin and yang symbol covering the circle, the dots bearing the symbols of Chat Noir's ring and her earrings. The lower tiers, or rather the petals, all bore the colors and marks of the Miraculous they represented. She noticed that only two were left, and, after doing quick math in her mind, she looked up at Master Fu, eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"What happened to this one?" She pointed at the blue petal on the bottom that bore the symbol of a peacock tail, and Master Fu's face fell.

"Some are lost," He repeated gravely before shutting the box gently. "The others remain dormant for now. The time has not yet come for them to awaken, so they remain asleep."

“So, is Hawkmoth’s Miraculous lost too then? There’s no way that you would give it to someone like that, right?” She touched her chin with a worried frown, and his somber expression returned.

“I have not been in possession of the Moth Miraculous for some time now. Many moons ago, the temple of the Order of the Guardians was destroyed as a result of my carelessness, and the Moth Miraculous was lost,” He explained, the once calm mask faded, and in that moment, he seemed older, more tired. “It is why regaining this book is so important because it keeps it out of Hawkmoth’s hands. We must use it to our advantage if we wish to beat him someday.”

“I’ll do my very best, Master!” She vowed, and his warm smile returned.

"That classmate of yours…You should get closer to him." He gave her another knowing smile, and Marinette felt the heat of her blush creep up her neck.

"Get close? To A-Adrien? I-I don't think I can, I mean, he's, I, uh," She was stammering again as she often did when it came to her crush.

"If Hawkmoth discovers that the boy had this book, he could be in danger. It would be in his best interest if you were in his good company." Master Fu warned, and Marinette sobered at the thought. She hadn't considered what repercussions Adrien could face for having such a powerful book. Hawkmoth would stop at nothing if he thought he could get information out of him.

"I'll do my best," She promised. Master Fu placed a hand on her shoulder with one of those proud-parent smiles.

"Good girl," He guided her to the door. "Come back often when you are feeling lost. The burden of a Miraculous is a great one, and it helps to seek solace from someone who knows of the struggles you are facing."

 She smiled, pulling the small man into an appreciative hug.

"I will. Thank you for everything, Master Fu," She pulled back and waved slightly before stepping through the door she'd entered in, a new sense of purpose swelling inside her. She had a boy to protect.

***

"Master, if the Agreste child had the book-" Wayzz started, but Master Fu held up a hand to silence him. He was well aware of what it meant. His mind drifted back to the days when he and Wayzz transformed together regularly, doing their part to protect the city alongside a woman with more grace and flair than any other. His partner and wielder of the peacock Miraculous. Or rather, his former partner.

"I should have known she would take it. She always was curious," He sounded amused almost, but then his eyes narrowed sadly. "Let us pay Gabriel a visit. It has been some time since we last spoke." His kwami looked anxious at the suggestion

"He threw you out last time," The small turtle pointed out, his forehead furrowed worriedly.

True. The last time Fu had visited the Agreste mansion had been right after the Madame of the household disappeared. Gabriel had not taken his presence well. Deep down, Fu knew the reason Gabriel resented him, but the problem lied in whether or not Fu felt those reasons were justified. His answer depended on the day.

"Gabriel's emotions were still very raw at the time. He blamed me for her disappearance," He grabbed his cane and flipped the sign on the window to the 'closed' side. "Sometimes I think he's right."

"Are you sure this is wise then, Master?" Wayzz scurried after him as the old man locked up, and Fu seemed amused.

"We will find out soon," The mischievous gleam Wayzz knew too well entered the old man's eyes; he sighed, knowing any further argument was futile, and retreated down into his master's pocket.

When he arrived at the Agreste mansion he observed how closed off Gabriel had made the house since the disappearance of his wife. Tall walls and an iron gate - a cage meant to keep a young boy from being swallowed by the world. He rang the bell and a small camera lens appeared, zooming around his face briefly before the gates slid open, and Fu made his way up the stairs where Gabriel was waiting, face seemingly devoid of emotion, but Fu detected a hint of malice in his piercing blue-grey eyes.

"It's been some time since I've seen your face, Fu," Gabriel said flatly. "What brings you here?"

His voice sounded uninterested, guarded almost, but Fu could sense the emotions churning inside him.

"I think we have a few things to discuss, Gabriel," He said patiently. Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, but after a moment he motioned for Fu to enter. They made their way to Gabriel's study on the left side of the main hall, and Fu noticed how empty the house seemed now, how cold.

"Nathalie, I have some business to attend to," Gabriel said as they entered the room. His assistant nodded curtly and left the room, closing the doors behind her as she went. Fu remained at ease as he took a seat and watched Gabriel patiently as he took the one across from him.

"What do you want?" Fu detected a hint of annoyance in his voice. Gabriel had indeed changed since his wife vanished. He'd aged more, his once youthful skin now stretched tightly across his cheekbones, dark bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

"You look tired," He remarked. Outside the sun was setting, casting an orange glow on the room, but even in the dimming light Fu could see Gabriel's lip twitch.

"I am a very busy man, and I don't have much time for small talk, Fu, so I would appreciate if you got to the reason for your visit. I highly doubt you've come just to chitchat about my health." Though his voice was sharp enough to cut through steel, Fu couldn't help but grin. Gabriel had always been reserved, but Fu knew it was all a façade.

"Your son came in possession of a book of mine," He stated simply. "Any idea where he got it from?"

"So it would seem," Gabriel sighed. "It appears as though I need to be more careful with my safe codes, the boy has become quite good at sneaking around lately, much like someone we know." He glanced up at the portrait of his wife and continued, "He stole the book from me. I guess he's more like his mother than I realized, that natural curiosity as it were…" His voice trailed off as he readjusted his gaze onto Master Fu. "I didn't realize it belonged to you, Fu."

"It's quite alright. I hadn't realized she'd taken it from me, and, of course, she wouldn't have told you where it came from either. She liked to hide those details," At that the corners of Gabriel's mouth curled into a slight smile, a smirk really.

"My wife kept many things from both of us. Though I feel she shared more secrets with you than she ever did with me," Fu could sense the jealousy behind his words, but he also detected a hint of sadness.

"I was her partner. There are many secrets we kept from each other and the ones we loved for their safety-"

"And what about her safety?" Gabriel growled. "If she trusted me with her secrets-"

"Adrien would be alone now," Fu's words cut through Gabriel, his usual calm, disinterested demeanor shaken, but Fu continued, "Whatever she got into that led to her disappearance would have sucked you in too, which is why she kept it from both of us. Your son would have no parents now if she had told you."

"If she had told me, I could have saved her!" Gabriel jumped up, hands clenched into fists, and Fu gave him that all-knowing stare.

"Could you?" Fu stood up abruptly. "Don't scold the boy for taking the book. It's in safe hands now. I thank you for protecting it all this time." He made his way to the door with even steps.

"I still haven’t forgiven you," Gabriel's words stopped him in his tracks. “You were supposed to look out for her.”

“I know,” Fu said, casting Gabriel a pained look over his shoulder.

“I never want my son near any of this ever again either. I can’t lose both of them, so don’t you ever set foot in this house again, do you understand me?” He said harshly, and Fu lowered his gaze to his feet before nodding.

"Your son has a good heart," He said after a moment. "Don't break it."

With that Fu pulled the door open and took his leave, Gabriel's words replaying in his mind, but the old man had faith in that unfortunate black cat. The boy would choose his own fate in the end.

***

Gabriel watched the old man go, closing his fists tighter, seething, because he knew Fu was right about more things than he cared to admit. It was true after his wife disappeared that he had become more protective of their son, but only because the fear of losing him too kept him up at night. He didn't quite understand it all, how the Miraculouses worked, and why fate had plagued his household with such a wretched burden, but he wanted to do everything in his power to keep such things away from Adrien. Because Adrien was all he had left.

He paced toward the wall of photographs, the static images of the most precious thing in his world. With deliberate hands, he pulled the painting away from the wall to reveal his safe. He typed in the code – Adrien's birth date, which, he realized, might be too obvious – and pulled away the heavy door. He touched the peacock pendant gingerly. It seemed dimmer now than when his wife had worn it. Back then it had seemed so full of light and color. Now it seemed as if the jewel were sleeping, the guardian inside awaiting the return of its master. He shut the safe abruptly, straightening himself.

Adrien was moping in his room when Gabriel entered and seemed annoyed at the intrusion.

"Knock much?" He grunted.

"If you would like me to respect your privacy then I expect you to respect mine," His voice was cold, harsh. Adrien flinched and looked away guiltily, and Gabriel sighed and sat on the edge of the boy's bed.

"Did you find it interesting?" He asked. Adrien snapped back around looking startled.

"W-What?" He stuttered.

"The book," Gabriel continued. "Your mother used to look through it. She was so fascinated by superheroes." Adrien looked as if he'd been slapped, so Gabriel waited.

"I, uh, I-I'm sorry I took it, Father," He looked down at his lap. "And that I lost it…" He said the last part more quietly. He jumped like he'd been electrocuted when Gabriel placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It was just a bunch of nonsense. Your mother liked to fantasize about silly things, and it seems you take after her in that regard." He glanced at the monitors where his son had a website devoted to Ladybug pulled up. His eyes narrowed slightly, but after a moment, he ruffled the boy's hair and stood up. "Don't take things without asking anymore."

"Yes, Father. I promise," His head hung low. Gabriel left the room and quietly made his way down the hall, a small purple sprite flitting up from his jacket timidly.

“If you want to protect your son, why do you send out akumas every day?” Nooroo asked, flinching a little when Gabriel shot him a glare.

“I do what I have to in order to get Chat Noir and Ladybug’s Miraculouses. With them, I can finally put an end to the misfortune plaguing this household,” He stated simply, and Nooroo shrank under his gaze. “Which is why you will continue to do as I ask.”

“Yes, Master.”

***

Marinette had a fitful night, constantly in and out of sleep, her nerves racing. She knew the importance behind becoming better friends with Adrien, but the thought of approaching him made her cheeks burn and her heart race. What if she said something stupid? Or came on too strong? Or if he found out she had a huge dork crush on him? She rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in her pillow with a groan.

Cats stuck in trees, she was on it. Evil akumas, no problem! Talking to that gorgeous blond boy in her class…Marinette.exe has stopped working. How could she befriend him if she couldn’t even get out two coherent sentences around him?

            When morning light began to creep in through her window, Marinette felt the weight of sleep deprivation on her eyelids like cement. She closed them for a brief moment before a sharp pain centered on her hand. Shooting forward with a yelp, she found that it was much brighter in the room than it had been a few minutes ago.

            “It’s about time you woke up! You’re going to be late for school!” Tikki’s soprano voice scolded. Marinette examined her hand, tiny teeth marks embedded into the skin.

            “Did you bite me?” She asked in disbelief. The small kwami gave her a haughty look.

            “Honestly, Marinette, you need to learn how to wake up on time,” The red bug shook her head in disappointment as her owner scrambled to get ready.

            “I know, I know, it’s just…I had trouble sleeping last night,” Marinette said defensively. “Because I have to talk to you-know-who today,” She paused to stare dreamily at her Adrien wall. In that moment, she realized she should probably take it all down if they were going to be better friends, recalling the time he came over to practice for the Mecha Strike tournament. Her wall wasn’t something she felt confident explaining to him.

            “Not to mention, Lila’s going to be at school, and I have no idea how that whole mess is going to play out,” Marinette continued as she brushed her hair back into her signature pigtails.

            “Just remember, don’t bring up the book under any circumstances,” Tikki whispered as they entered the school. Somehow the atmosphere inside the school walls seemed…different. As she walked further inside, the hum of hushed chatter filled the air, and Marinette picked out bits and pieces as she walked.

            “Did you hear-?”

            “How pathetic,”

            “I knew she was lying,”

            “Shh! Here she comes!”

            A hush fell over the courtyard as the brown haired girl entered through the front doors. All eyes fixed on her as she hung her head low, gripping her bag closer to herself as she took the walk of shame across the courtyard.

            “Liar,” The word bounced around from mouth to mouth with no clear indication of where it started, but it followed her as she walked, shoulders slumping more and more as she passed through mocking stares and thoughtless whispers. Despite the previous day’s events Marinette found herself feeling sorry for her.

            She did this to herself. Marinette told herself, pushing away guilty thoughts. Lila was finally getting what she deserved, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t swallow that feeling. It was kind of her fault Lila got akumatized after all. If she hadn’t gotten so jealous… No, if she hadn’t stepped in Lila would still be plaguing the school with her lies. That much she could accept. Additionally, she could have Adrien under her spell too, which was absolutely out of the question.

            “Can you believe that girl?” Marinette jumped at the sound of her best friend’s voice in her ear. “That whole interview was totally fake! Ugh, and I put it on the Ladyblog too!” Alya knocked her forehead with her fist a few times as if to beat the poor decision out of her memory.

            “Well, she can’t say she doesn’t know Ladybug now,” The laugh belonged to Nino, and Marinette noticed Adrien standing beside him looking lost in thought. He seemed fine when she’d been by to check on him the day before, but she still wondered how he was faring. Alya jumped at the opportunity as soon as she laid eyes on him.

            “Soo, Adrien, is it true Volpina showed up at your house?” The question seemed to rattle him. Alya could be so shameless at times.

            “Uhh…y-yeah, she did…” Marinette grabbed Alya’s arm and dragged her away before she could bombard him with more questions.

            “Hey!” She huffed, folding her arms over her chest.

            “I think it’s probably best if you avoid the subject for now. He seems pretty upset,” Marinette said pointedly which got an eye roll and an exasperated ‘I guess’ from Alya.

            Inside the classroom was no better. Everyone huddled together whispering about Lila, and Marinette’s stomach churned uneasily. People were going to find out eventually…right? This day was proving to be worse than she’d thought. How could she focus on Adrien when everyone was focused on Lila? She glanced up at him sitting in front of her. He was being unusually quiet today. She glanced at Nino who was busy talking to Alya and drew in a breath.

            She needed to say something, anything _,_ but no matter how much she tried the breath stayed in her lungs. What should she say? It seemed a little late for good morning since she had already passed him once. Shoot! She missed the opportunity because of Alya _._ As the edges of her vision started to darken she realized she’d forgotten to breathe out, and she willed herself to speak.

            “Um,” She started, heart accelerating a bit as her friends turned their attention to her.

            “Alright, everyone, take your seats,” Mlle. Bustier interrupted, much to Marinette’s relief as she released the rest of the air from her lungs. Why was speaking so hard around him?

            Her mind wandered during the lesson, thinking about yesterday, Volpina, Lila, Adrien, Master Fu…More than usual Marinette wished she were normal. Maybe she would visit Master Fu later. Somehow she trusted him more than she originally thought she would. Maybe it was the idea of having someone other than Tikki to share her secrets with, a confidant of sorts, or perhaps it was the old man’s serene demeanor that made her feel safe.

            When the bell rang for lunch, she took several deep breaths and followed Adrien down the stairs. _Now’s your chance, Marinette. Don’t chicken out! You can do this._ She balled her hands into nervous fists and opened her mouth to call his name.

            “Adrikins!” Marinette found herself shoved out of the way as Chloe assaulted Adrien with hugs and kisses despite how he resisted.

            “Hey, Chlo,” He grunted, dodging her lips from connecting with his.

            “Yesterday must have been so awful for you. That nasty Lila girl pretending to be a superhero, how terrible!” Chloe clung to him possessively.

            “Y-Yeah,” He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes fixed on the ground. Marinette walked passed them cursing Chloe in her mind. As she made her way down the front steps, she noticed Lila entering the park across the street.

            _Don’t you dare!_ Her brain screamed as her feet moved after Lila. _You don’t owe her anything. She did it to herself. She lied to everyone and threatened Adrien. Stop. Go home. Don’t-_

            “Hi,” She said gently, and Lila looked up from where she was slumped on a bench holding a sandwich. “It’s no fun eating alone. Mind if I join you?” Lila gave her an incredulous look.

_That’s it, Marinette. She doesn’t want you here, just turn around and leave._

            “Are you stupid or something?” She blurted, cocking a brow. “Everyone hates me, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Marinette had noticed and for the life of her couldn’t figure out why she was still standing there. Master Fu knew what he was talking about when he said she had a compassionate heart. Even though Lila had almost stolen Adrien from her and lied to everyone in school, all things Marinette loathed, something in her gut wouldn’t let her hate Lila.

            “Not everyone…” She smiled encouragingly, and Lila rolled her eyes.

            “Fine, whatever,” She scooched over slightly as Marinette sat beside her and pulled out her lunch.

            “I’m Marinette, by the way.”

            “Yeah, I got that,” Her tone was short, guarded. Marinette winced as every cell in her body screamed at her to walk away, but she remained rooted in place on that bench.

            “So, you’re from Italy?” She asked conversationally.

            “Yeah.” Lila shifted so her back was to Marinette as if she were using her body to create a wall between them. Marinette couldn’t really blame her for being distant after everyone shunned her.

            “Awesome! My grandma is Italian actually,” Marinette laughed nervously. Lila wasn’t making this very easy.

            “Look, you don’t have to pretend to be nice to me. I lied to everyone, and now everyone hates me, so if you don’t mind I’d like to finish my lunch alone,” Lila sighed.

_Now’s your chance, just get up and walk home._

            “Why did you do it?” She found herself asking against her better judgment. She braced herself for an outburst, some form of backlash, but it never came. Instead Lila simply shrugged.

            “I didn’t have many friends back home, so I guess…I just wanted everyone to like me here,” She said, eyes narrowing. “Why does that matter to you?”

Being in a new place could be daunting. She thought of Adrien’s first day and all the trouble Chloe caused him. If he were snobby like Chloe she might have felt differently about him, but he was sweet and kind. The truth of the matter was Marinette knew nothing about Lila, so she was determined to find out who she was before passing judgment on her. Sometimes she hated her soft heart.

            “Well, you’re new here, and I kind of want to be your friend…” More like she felt bad for embarrassing her in front of Adrien and getting her akumatized, but that was a secret Marinette would take to her grave. Lila turned to face her abruptly, their faces inches apart as Lila glared through her, and Marinette bit her lip nervously.

            “You really are stupid,” She said after a moment, leaning back, but she cast Marinette a side-long smile and took another bite of her sandwich. “But I guess you’re all I’ve got, so I suppose we can be friends.”

            “Tell me about yourself,” Marinette prompted, but Lila looked away.

            “Why?” She grumbled.

            “Isn’t that what friends do?” Lila shrugged her shoulders, but Marinette continued, “I’ll start then. I want to be a fashion designer.”

            Lila looked her over for a second then laughed, “And you’re wearing that?”

Marinette felt her stomach drop, and it must have shown on her face because after a moment Lila laughed. “I’m kidding, don’t be so gullible. I love your jacket.”

            “Oh…thanks. Now it’s your turn,” She prompted, and Lila thought for a moment.

            “I’ve always wanted to be a supermodel. Ever since I saw my first fashion magazine I’ve wanted to be a model, so I only eat one meal a day,” She said.

            “Wow that seems extreme.” Marinette’s eyebrows furrowed, and Lila laughed again.

            “You’re really bad at this. That was totally a lie,” She giggled. “Sometimes I eat way too much. Food is way more important to me than being some paper thin cover girl.”

            “Alright then, what _do_ you want to be?” Marinette asked.

Their conversation went on like that for a while. Lila would make up stories for all of Marinette’s questions then ask her if she thought they were true. They made a game out of it. Most of the time Marinette said they were even if they were obviously lies because it made Lila smile, even for a short period of time, which was something she rarely did otherwise.

            “Let’s have lunch together from now on, okay?” Marinette offered sincerely.

            “Whatever,” Lila said with a grunt. Even if she had lied to everyone, Marinette couldn’t bring herself to be mean to Lila. Ladybug had already done that, and it backfired. She’d learned her lesson the hard way. Besides, everyone else was doing enough.

            The two girls ate lunch together in the park regularly after that, talking about fashion and movies and other trivial things, and the more time they spent together the more Marinette started to like her. She found out that Lila’s parents were always super busy with work and that she was mostly raised by her grandmother until she passed away a couple years ago. They came to Paris because her father got a promotion within the company to come run a branch in Paris. Or so Lila said.

            Eventually, the harsh stares became fewer in number as people moved on, though no one besides Marinette made any effort to talk to Lila. Their friendship irritated Alya to no end.

            “How can you hang out with her?” She asked as she always did during their free period. Alya made a point to tell Marinette how much she disapproved of her friendship with Lila every opportunity she got, and Marinette sighed.

            “Is everyone really going to hold a grudge forever?” She groaned. Alya looked like she was going to say something else, but something caught her eye over Marinette’s shoulder.

            “Marinette’s future husband at 10 o’clock!” She grinned nodding in the direction of the door where Adrien had just entered. Marinette had made small progress with him over the past few weeks. They often said ‘good morning’ to each other now, but after that Marinette clammed up.

            “You should go sit by him,” Alya gave her a shove, but Marinette had become a steel wall.

            “But you’re helping me with chemistry,” She offered half-heartedly, and Alya pulled her to her feet.

            “You’re gonna see a lot more chemistry happening over there, now go get him!” Her best friend shoved her to the other side of the bookshelf, right into Adrien’s view.

            “Oh, hey, Marinette,” He said with a friendly smile.

            “Uhh, m-morning,” She stammered. Wait. No! Adrien looked at her quizzically, and Marinette glanced back at Alya with a panicked expression, her friend face palming and shaking her head. “I-I mean, uh, hi?” She squeaked, lifting her textbook to hide her face.

            “Hi…?” He repeated before nodding at the book in her hands. “You working on chemistry?”

            “Oh! Uh, yeah, Alya was helping me,” She gestured with her thumb behind her.

            “But Alya has to go do an important thing now that she just remembered, so, Adrien, you’re good at chemistry, right? Marinette needs some help with her chemical reactions,” Her friend gave her a stern look to which Marinette offered up a nervous grin. “Mind taking over for me?” 

            “Sure,” Adrien looked between them clearly confused.

            “Great! See you later, M!” She wrapped an arm around Marinette’s shoulders. “Thank me later!” She whispered before dashing off. And just like that they were alone. Well, alone with the exception of the other students in the library.

            “So,” He dragged the vowel out, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Want to get started?” He nodded toward the table she and Alya had been sitting at moments before, and Marinette hid her blush behind her book and nodded, taking her seat.

 _You can do this, you can do this, you can do this._ She repeated in her head. Slowly, she set the book on the table and flipped to the chapter as Adrien pulled out his notes.

            This was her chance to get on better terms with him. If Master Fu was right about Hawkmoth, Adrien could be in danger, and the last thing Marinette wanted was for him to get hurt because she was too nervous to talk to him. His life depended on her opening up, or that’s what she told herself at least.

            “Um, thanks for this,” She managed. “I-I know you must be busy, and it’s my fault for getting behind. Normally I get Alya to help me, but she has that thing that she has to do…” Oh, no, she was rambling. Suddenly she wished she couldn’t talk again, unsure of how to turn her mouth off.

            “It’s fine,” He chuckled good-naturedly. “You and I don’t get to talk much, so this is nice.”

            “You’re nice,” She sighed dreamily before realizing she’d said that out loud _._ “I, uh, yeah, _it’s_ nice to hang out, with you, that is, uh.” This was going well. Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose while she silently prayed Adrien didn’t think she was a dorkasaurous.

            “Right,” He titled his head to the side slightly. “So, you need help with chemical reactions?” He asked, and Marinette suppressed an eye roll. _Alya._

            “Uh, yeah, just the calculations.” She blushed as he scooted closer to share her book.

            “You just have to get the units to cancel until you get what you want,” He explained, scribbling a problem down on her tablet. “In this one you want to know how many moles of product C you get when you react A and B, so…” He was close enough that his arm brushed hers lightly, sending shockwaves up to her shoulder. Her heart pounded in her chest, rushing blood to her face. Being so close to him was like a dream, one Marinette never wanted to wake up from.

            “So, you think you can work this one?” He asked pointing to the next problem as Marinette snapped back to reality. She hadn’t been listening, so she nodded meekly, taking the stylus from him and scribbling down the steps. “Good,” He smiled when she got the right answer. “You learn fast.”

            “You’re a better tutor than Alya,” She admitted, rubbing the back of her neck as if to stop the blood rushing to her cheeks, and Adrien laughed.

            “I won’t tell her you said that,” He winked, and Marinette was sure her heart stopped. “I can help you any time if you lend me your notes when I miss class.” True, Adrien did often miss class like she did. Must be his strict schedule.

            “Y-Yeah, no problem!” A silence fell between them for a moment as Marinette stared at her textbook. She was aware of his eyes on her, but a lump formed in her throat that she couldn’t swallow down. Still, she had to give herself props for getting this far with him. There were only a few other times where she’d actually spoken one-on-one with him without being a complete wreck. Perhaps it would get easier if she spoke to him more often, or that’s what she hoped for anyways.

            “Can I ask you something?” He said finally. Marinette’s stomach twisted in knots as she dared to look up into his emerald green eyes, eyes she’d spent hours daydreaming about.

            “S-Sure,” She gulped, an endless stream of possible outcomes flowing through her mind until they formed rapids, and Marinette felt herself getting dizzy. Those curious green eyes never strayed from her, and she could have sworn she was going to pass out.

            “Did I do something wrong?” Marinette felt her brain failing. That was not a question she’d considered.

            “W-What?” She gaped at him.

            “I mean, at first I thought maybe you were just shy, but seeing you with Lila lately…Did I do something to make you not like me? You never seem to want to talk to me unless you have to,” He slumped a little. Oh no. Adrien thought she hated him.

            “I-No! I don’t…No!” She scrambled. She pictured tiny versions of herself running around in her brain as it overheated. “It’s just that I- and you’re so- and I’m not,”

At least he hadn’t figured out she had a crush on him. She couldn’t say which scenario she would prefer in that moment, but at least in this case her usual flustered ramblings could be useful.

            “Did I say something to upset you?” His eyebrows knitted together worriedly.

            “No!” She practically shouted.

            “Then why? We hang out in the same friend group, but you always run away when I look at you.”

            “Well…you’re…Adrien Agreste. Your dad’s my favorite designer, you’re a model, and I’m just…I-I’m just a baker’s daughter,” She traced circles on her book with her finger.

            “So, you think because I’m rich that I’m too shallow to want to be friends with you?” He looked offended.

            “No, no, no!” She waved her hands frantically. “Th-That’s not what I meant at all! You’re really nice!”

Adrien leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, frowning, and Marinette deflated.

            “You wanna start over?” She looked back up into his earnest green eyes, his hand extended toward her. “I’m Adrien.”

She stared in disbelief for a moment before placing her hand in his.

            “Marinette.” She smiled.

            “Nice to meet you, Marinette, wanna hang out sometime?” He cocked a well-kept brow.

            “I’d like that.” His face softened and formed a smile.

            “Me too.” Marinette felt her cheeks flush, but for once she wasn’t nervous. His green eyes were so sincere, wanting to be accepted by the girl he thought he’d upset the first day of school. The buzz of his phone startled them both. Glancing at it, he sighed.

            “Gotta go. Piano lesson.” Marinette knew that. “See you in class, baker girl.” He winked.

            “You’re not going to let that go, are you?” She groaned covering her face with her hand in shame.

            “You’re the one who thinks I’m too above you,” He crossed his arms.

            “I didn’t mean-” She saw the playful glint in his eyes and seized the new opportunity. “See you later, rich boy.” She shot back. At that he grinned widely and waved as he made his way out. Once the door closed, Marinette melted into her seat.

            “That was a good start!” Tikki whispered excitedly from her shirt collar; however, she soon realized Marinette’s brain had melted to mush, so she escaped back down to her purse with an eye roll. This friendship was going to take some getting used to.

 


End file.
